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Overview

In Immortal: Love Stories With Bite , edited by New York Times bestselling author of the House of Night series, P.C. Cast, seven of today’s most popular YA vampire and contemporary fantasy authors offer new short stories that prove when you’re immortal, true love really is forever.

Rachel Caine (the Morganville Vampires series) revisits the setting of her popular series, where the vampires are in charge and love is a risky endeavor, even when it comes to your own family

Cynthia Leitich Smith (Tantalize) gives us a love triangle between a vampire, a ghost and a human girl, in which none of them are who or what they seem

Claudia Gray (Evernight) takes us into the world of her Evernight series, in which a preCivil War courtesan-to-be is courted by a pale, fair-haired man whose attentions are too dangerous to spurn, in more ways than one

Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy series) brings us the tale of a young vampire on the run from the rest of her kind, and the human boy who provides the getaway car, as well as a reason to keep running

Nancy Holder (the Wicked series, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) immerses us in a post-apocalyptic New York where two best friends are forced to make a choice that may kill them both

Kristin Cast (the House of Night series) introduces us to a new kind of vampire: one with roots in Greek mythology, and the power to alter space and time to save the girl he's meant to love

Rachel Vincent (the Soul Screamers series) explores a new corner of her series with the story of aleanan sidhe capable of inspiring the musician she loves to new creative heights, or draining him, and his talent, dry

And Tanith Lee (Black Unicorn) shows us what happens when a bright young woman with some supernatural savvy encounters a misguided (but gorgeous) young vampire

Product Details

About the Author

P.C. Cast is the New York Times bestselling author of the House of Night series (Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed) with her daughter, Kristin Cast. She lives in Tulsa, Okla.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Haunted Love

CYNTHIA LEITICH SMITH

On my way to work, I pass the worn-out white cottage where I lived as a little kid. The windows are boarded up. So is the door. I expect it'll be put up for auction. I expect it'll go cheap. Nobody's moving to Spirit, Texas.

Every year, the high school grads pack up and leave — one or two for college, the rest for jobs in bigger towns. And every other week, a crowd gathers at the funeral parlor to pay their respects to one of the old folks. Death is the most lucrative business in town.

It seems like everyone dies or leaves. But I'm not going anywhere. Spirit is home. It's the little piece of the world that makes sense to me, which, lately, is saying a lot.

"Cody!" calls a bright, female voice from behind me.

I ignore her. I've never been a talkative kind of guy.

"Cody Stryker!" exclaims the teenage daughter of the new mayor — the one who's going to turn the empty store-fronts into antique shops and the abandoned houses into bed-and-breakfasts and offer Spirit a future again, or so he says. "Wait," she pleads. "I need to talk to you."

I pause, turn. Did I say nobody moves here? The girl standing in front of me this evening is an exception to that rule. Last fall, Ginny Augustine and her folks arrived in Spirit after the bank foreclosed on their home in The Woodlands.

Typically, you have to live in town for at least a year before running for office, but nobody else wanted the job, so the city council passed a waiver and Mr. Augustine ran unopposed.

My glare falls to Ginny's hand on my sleeve.

She snatches it back. "I don't believe we've met before. I'm — "

"I know who you are." I begin walking again. Glancing at her sideways, I ask, "What do you want?"

I feel a faint flash of guilt when she blinks, startled. "Well," Ginny begins again, "someone's cranky. Here's the deal: I'm going to handle ticket sales for you. Cool, huh?" When I don't reply, she adds, "You know, at the theater. Movies? Tickets?"

For the first time in more than fifty years, the Old Love Theater will open tonight at 8 P.M. After Uncle Dean's death, I sold off a third of his cattle, his antique gun, and his fishing boat to make the down payment. None of it was worth much, but neither is the Old Love.

It's reassuring to have somewhere to be on a night-tonight basis, though, to have another purpose beyond satisfying my thirst. To have something else to think about besides the night I faced down my uncle for the last time.

I keep going, trying to ignore how Ginny falls in step by my side.

At sixteen, she's girl-next-door pretty, medium height and curvy. Her teeth are even and pearly white. Long, honey-blonde hair frames her friendly face. What with the powder blue baby T that reads sassy in rhinestones and her faded denim cutoffs, Ginny looks like she was born and bred in Spirit, like a real small-town girl.

When we reach the theater, she persists in following me around back.

Ginny leans against the door, coy, as I fish my keys out of my jeans pocket.

"Big night," she observes. "You nervous?"

"No," I lie, unlocking the deadbolt. Once inside, I add, "And I'm not hiring."

"Really?" Ginny asks, shoving a sandal-clad foot in the doorway. "You mean you're going to run the projector, pop the corn, restock the concession stand, ring up food and drinks, vacuum the carpet, change the toilet paper, and do ... whatever managers do — paperwork and bills — all by yourself? Think about it, cowboy. How do you plan to sell tickets and handle concessions at the same time?"

On one hand, I don't want to encourage her. On the other, I don't need any trouble from her leaving pissed off. I don't need trouble — period. I wish she would just take off. "I'm not opening the concession stand."

"Well, there go your profits! You're charging — what? — three bucks a show? I know people around here are cheap, but do you have any idea what, say, electricity alone is going to cost? It's summer. It's Texas. Think: air conditioning."

Honestly, I hadn't considered that. It's not like I have an MBA or anything. I just graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago. I used to mow lawns in the summer, but this will be my first real job off the ranch. I may have been over-ambitious.

"Plus," Ginny goes on, "insurance, taxes, and you might want to advertise the place as a tourist attraction. The founders of Spirit were key players in the early days of the Republic, and historical tourism is becoming — "

Ginny quiets as I lead her through the service hallway. It is hot in here. Muggy.

I wonder what, if anything, she knows about the building's tragic history, its lingering reputation. A teenage girl — Sonia Mitchell — was found dead in a storage closet in 1959. Another girl, Katherine something-or-other — Vogel maybe — went missing for good. She was new in town, like Ginny, and her body was never found. Both girls worked at the theater. And again, like Ginny, both girls were sixteen.

Everyone hereabouts has heard the story. Partiers have busted in over the years, too, and every now and then a whole pack would run out hollering about a ghost.

There's no denying that the theater has an eerie quality to it. Over the past week, I've seen the letter "S" written in the dust and wiped it away again and again. Once or twice, I could've sworn I heard a soft voice coming from somewhere in the building. Enticing, musical, feminine ... I'm starting to hear it in my dreams.

As Ginny and I enter the lobby, I don't give her the satisfaction of cranking the air conditioner immediately.

Instead, I take in my new business, trying to see it the way tonight's customers will. It's a grand old place with a huge antique crystal chandelier, built when cotton was king. Granted, the gold and crimson wallpaper is faded, and the blood-red carpet is worn. So are the red upholstered seats in the screening room — both on the main floor and up in the balconies. But there's still a romance to the place, a whisper of the past.

Besides, my mom loved it. Every time we passed by, she'd say the Old Love was a ghost of the glory days of Spirit, a reminder of who we'd been and could become again.

"Do you know how to run a register?" I ask Ginny, gesturing.

She's already playing with it. I only have one, set at the ticket counter. It's an older model that I ordered off eBay.

"Hmm," Ginny says, scanning the lobby before brightening. "I know! We can lay out candy and popcorn on the counter, post prices, and provide a box with a slot in it so that people can pay on the honor system. Like at the library for folks with fines on overdue books."

That wouldn't work in most places. In Spirit, it'll do fine.

"There are some boxes in my office," I say, impressed despite myself. After a pause, I add, "Why do you want this job anyway?"

Ginny shrugs. "I could use the money."

That makes two of us. The thing about living forever, I suddenly need a long-term financial plan. And, I realize, so far as Ginny is concerned, there aren't any other jobs within walking distance. I bet she used to have a flashy car. I bet it was repossessed.

I can't help wondering if there's more to her being here than that. Not to be conceited, but I'm fairly good-looking. I've got Mom's blue eyes, and they stand out against my deep brown skin, slick black hair, and the sharp features I inherited from whoever was my dad. I'm wiry but solid enough from working on Uncle Dean's ranch.

Outside Spirit, girls are always flirting, not that I know what to say back.

The locals, on the other hand, they pity me. When my mom died, everyone said what a shame it was for me to be orphaned at only ten. They saw my bruises in the years that followed. And they knew what Uncle Dean was like.

For a long time, I thought sooner or later somebody would report him to social services — a preacher, a teacher, the school nurse — but it never happened.

I guess most folks were as scared of Uncle Dean as I was.

Ginny is looking at me with an oddly knowing smile, and I realize she's waiting for my decision. I can't help thinking she may be useful. I can't help wondering if she has a boyfriend. But spending quality time around that flesh-and-blood girl is intrinsically problematic. The flesh is a problem. The blood is a problem. At any given moment, it's a toss-up which is worse. "Okay," I say. "You're hired."

The chandelier rattles, distracting us both.

"Drafty," Ginny says, glancing around. "But where's it coming from?"

She asks too many questions. "I turned on the air conditioner." It's a lie.

* * *

After a ridiculous amount of negotiation, I agree to ten cents above minimum wage, send Ginny home to change into a white buttondown shirt, black slacks, and black shoes, and tell her to come back in a couple of hours.

Unlocking the door to my cramped office, I'm less than thrilled to realize that I may need to hire a second person. Someone local. Quiet.

Within the next few years, I need to sew up an understanding with the good people of Spirit. They may not know what I am, but they'll figure it out over time. On the off chance that Ginny's daddy's "revitalization" plan works, I'll be here for generations. I need to reassure them that my presence is no more threatening than the fact that Edwina Labarge collects snow globes or that Betty Mueller talks to her dead husband or that Miss Josefina and Miss Abigail have been "roommates" for more than thirty years.

I'll need front people, I realize, so that the customers who drive in from nearby towns don't notice that the "young" owner never seems to age.

Inside the office, I hit the ceiling-fan light, and begin sifting through the old newspapers and boxes, looking for one that will do for the concession stand.

The headline of a yellowed copy of The Spirit Sentinel from June 13, 1959, catches my eye. It reads "City Mourns Daughter; New Girl Missing."

I lift it, studying the black and white picture — Sonia's dimple and laughing eyes. I trace the hairline around her lovely face. Sixteen forever.

I never want to be the kind of monster that destroys innocence like that.

Reaching into my small half-fridge, I grab a bottle of blood, pour a quarter of it into a Texas A&M mug, and pop that into the microwave on the shelf.

Seconds later, I close my eyes, savoring the taste, pushing back the disgust.

I've been this way for only a few weeks.

It's funny. I used to roll my eyes at all those media stories about the trouble kids get into on the Internet. How every generation of grown-ups assumes that whatever's new — from flapper dresses to rock-and-roll to the World Wide Web — is automatically a sign of the apocalypse. My theory was that parenthood triggered amnesia followed by paranoia, though I had to admit it would've been nice to have someone who cared.

Not long after Uncle Dean cracked one of my ribs, I heard at school that there was this guy in Athens, Georgia, selling a "power elixir" on the 'net. I figured it was some kind of steroid cocktail. Probably risky, but it's not like my life was all that safe to begin with. Anyway, the guy supposedly supplied a vat of the stuff to the Varsity football team in El Paso that took state last year.

It was so easy. I "borrowed" Uncle Dean's MasterCard and put in my order. The vial arrived overnight in a box packed with dry ice.

I remember thinking as I unscrewed the cap, What the hell?

Nothing could've been more appropriate.

Blinking back the memory, I reach for the bottle to pour myself more blood.

Someone has used a finger to write something in the condensation on the glass. It looks like the letter "S." It wasn't there a moment ago. She's getting bolder, making a bigger play for my attention. It's flattering, I admit. "Sonia?"

"Not bad." I have to give her credit. In Ginny's make-do theater uniform, complete with ponytail, she looks like the picture of all-American wholesomeness. She also had her mom swing by Wal-Mart (two towns north) and they picked up ice, several two-liter plastic bottles of coke (diet, regular, Dr Pepper, Sprite), and several discounted packages of candy bars. It's quite the display of enthusiasm, of spirit, you might say.

She grins and grabs a black marker to write out prices and instructions for paying on the honor system. Ginny brought the marker and poster board with her too. I set the box from my office on the counter before she got back. It's already been wrapped in bright gold paper, another Wal-Mart purchase.

My gaze lands on the skin over her jugular. Luckily for Ginny, I'm able to buy fresh-shipped "provisions" from the same site that sold me the original dose.

The night I buried my uncle's body behind the barn, I received an e-mail from the vendor, telling me I qualified for "special customer status" and giving me a code to log in for future purchases. What I found was a series of pages within the site that included a long question-and-answer document about our kind, information on how to mix various blood-wine blends, and from there, an online dating service ("Love That Lasts") extended to all registered members at no additional fee. I admit to clicking through it, despite everything amused by the ads for growing your fangs and shrinking your thighs and finding your "eternal consort." I have no intention of going there.

I may be an easy mark, helping to finance some other fiend's long-term retirement. But I got what I wanted. Now I can defend myself against anyone.

I just had no idea that the price would be so high.

* * *

Looking out the theater window onto Main Street, I'm pleased to see a line has already formed — a handful of teenagers and a county deputy with his wife.

This week, I'm showing Phantom of the Opera. I've scheduled The Haunting with Vincent Price, Ghostbusters, and Ghost for the three weeks after that.

I'm taking advantage of the place's spooky rep. I hope Sonia doesn't mind. More and more, whenever I fix a loose board or vacuum the carpet or add Crème Caramel potpourri to the ladies' room, I can't help wondering if Sonia approves. I can't help feeling like I'm trying to impress her.

School has been out for a couple of weeks now. The newness of summer has already worn off. Football players and cheerleaders are in double practices, but they're done by sundown and eager to blow off steam. I should be able to pack in the locals and folks from nearby towns, if only because there's nothing better to do.

"Three minutes," I announce, noticing that the line outside is longer now. Much of it is curiosity, I'm sure. But I can build on that.

"That long?" Ginny exclaims, propping up the sign. "The ice will melt."

"The ice will be all right. You're ... you're doing fine."

I can stand the sunlight, though it seems to weaken me. Just like Ginny's bright smile. She half skips toward the ticket counter and then, with a "Whoa," goes flailing. Without thinking, I pour on the supernatural speed in time to stop her fall.

Ginny steadies herself with a hand on my shoulder. "Where did you come from?"

During life, I didn't have friends my age, not in-person friends anyway, just some people I'd chat with on the Internet. It never occurred to me that I'd feel pulled toward someone now. I know better than to care. I ask anyway. "Are you okay?"

Ginny's doing a bang-up job at the register. She's all "yes'm" and "yes sir" with the grown-ups, amicable with the teens, and a charming reassurance that, despite the "haunted" theater and its murderous history, the ghost-movie theme is tongue-in-cheek. We're all just having fun here.

Meanwhile, I'm serving up another row of cokes. It's great. With the honor pay system, I don't really have to interact with the costumers.

At least not until the deputy shoves a couple of rolled-up dollars into the box and says, "Young Mr. Stryker, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir." I keep my voice level. I've never been in trouble with the law. In fact, I'm known as decent enough — as someone who's had a hard life, but who's respectable, graduated with honors. "Welcome to the Old Love, deputy."

"How's your uncle doin'?" he asks, grabbing a coke and a box of Milk Duds and a package of red licorice. "Some boys at Hank's Roadhouse were askin' about him."

I knew that, sooner or later, the questions would come. It hurts to be reminded that Uncle Dean had buddies, that there was a better side to him, one I only glimpsed on the rare holiday or when he'd score a big buck.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Immortal, edited by P.C. Cast, is worth buying even if just for P.C. Cast's initial essay on that thing teenagers seem to have with vampires. Not just lust nor raging hormones, she identifies some fascinating points of contact between teen reader and vampire lore, and leaves this long-gone teen thinking yeah, that does make sense. And then there's the stories.
I enjoyed this introduction to a fine mix of authors: Kristin Cast writing on her own to combine vampire and other ancient myths into an intriguing whole; Tannith Lee viewing the stranger at the party through strangely well-trained eyes; Rachel Caine creating a curiously disturbing little world in Morganville; Cynthia Leitich Smith's truly haunting Haunted Love; Nancy Holder's scarily post-apocalyptic New York; Richelle Mead's odd story of vampires and men with its underlying commentary about the fate of the "different"; and finally Claudia Gray's strange trip to New Orleans.
The stories are fun, nicely collected, neatly disturbing and intriguing. And okay, I'm not a teen and never will be again, but I really enjoyed the book.

Lost_In_A_BookJV

More than 1 year ago

I enjoyed picking this book up on occasion and reading a chapter. Each one gives you a good idea of an author and whether or not you would want to read any of her books.

Adrianne02

More than 1 year ago

I enjoyed this book very much. The author who were published in this paticular book were just amazing. Rachel Caine who is one of my favorites authors wrote a very good short story. I would recommend this book to anyone who like vampire stories.

Vanessa Montoya

More than 1 year ago

I did not like this book beacause i didnt know that itbewas made up of diffrent short stories. I thought many of the short stories had more potential that they could be longer and be a whole book. I was left disappointed and wanting more. But i love supernatural stories so i enjoyed them.

reader_barbara

More than 1 year ago

I love anthologies! Especially when one of my favorite authors includes a short story related to the series I'm reading. So, how Immortal: Love Stories With Bite got past me, I do not know. I love Rachel Caine and am a huge fan of the Morganville Vampire series, so why this anthology that includes a short story about Shane didn't hit my radar, I don't know. Anyway, I'm glad I finally came across it because it has some excellent stories in it.
First up is "Haunted Love" by Cynthia Leitich Smith, which features a very new vampire, a ghost and a not-so-innocent girl who is connected to both. What I found interesting is the manner in which the new vampire is made--a modern twist. The story is very interesting and the character of Cody is someone I would read about again. Next is "Amber Smoke" by Kristin Cast. This story features a vampire of mythological origin intervening with Fate to save a very special girl. I enjoyed the mythological aspect of this story, it brought a different aspect into the story.
"Dead Man Stalking" by Rachel Caine is part of the Morganville Vampire series and features Shane, my favorite character from the series. Anyone unfamiliar with the series may not enjoy the story as much because you really need to understand the history to appreciate the story. However, if you are not familiar with the series, find a copy of Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires, Book 1) and get to reading! In this story, Shane is 'contacted' by someone from his past & he has to choose between his past & what he believes is right. It's a great story about Shane and shows a bit of maturity in his character.
"Table Manners" by Tanith Lee is a new kind of vampire story--at least, new to my reading experience. I was introduced to Lelystra Draculian, only a distant relation, and some notions that the widely behold beliefs about vampires' powers and weaknesses are largely a self-fulfilling prophecy. This story is followed by "Blue Moon" by Richelle Mead. I haven't read any of her books, although I understand her Vampire Academy Collection is very popular. This story isn't related to the series, it introduces an interesting character in Lucy Wade, a vampire born with the power to fulfill an ancient prophecy that will change the world--for real. I liked this character and would read more about her if Richelle Mead developed this story into a full blown novel.
"Changed" by Nancy Holder takes place in a different New York--one devastated by vampires. On Jilly's 16th birthday, vampires take over and destroy New York City. What's interesting about this story is really that the vampires could have been anything--terrorists, aliens, whatever you prefer for your outside source of devastation. The truth of the story takes place in Jilly's journey to maturity and adulthood, the vampires providing the catalyst for her growth. Following "Changed" is "Binged" by Rachel Vincent. I am a fan of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series, as well as her Shifters series. Although neither refer to vampires, there is enough overlap in the supernatural world to consider that either series would be referenced in this story. But, this story was completely independent of either series and it was very, very good. I don't even want to mention the story for fear of providing spoilers, but let me say that it is a very good story that does not d

LASR_Reviews

More than 1 year ago

Love vampires? Love vampire romance even more? Then this is definitely the anthology for you. Packed with a fistful of big name young adult authors like Rachel Caine and Richelle Mead, Immortal: Love Stores with Bite is a powerhouse of exciting and engaging short stories to fit every taste.
Haunted Love by Cynthia Leitich Smith kicks off this collection with a ghost story. Spirit, Texas is your typical small Texas town, complete with abandoned movie theater with a spooky past. When new girl Ginny Augustine approaches Cody Stryker looking for a job at the newly renovated spooky theater, he figures that a little help couldn't possibly hurt. When the ghost of a teenage girl, murdered in the Old Love theater, shows up, things get a bit more than complicated. Cody's hiding a secret, but so is everyone else. Haunted Love is a wonderful story combining two aspects of the paranormal world into a mystery with more twists and turns than you'd ever expect.
Following Haunted Love is an out-of-the-ordinary story by Kristen Cast entitled Amber Smoke. All Jenna wants for her senior year is to be cool for a change. What she doesn't plan on is Alekos and the Furies intervening in her future. Jenna begins the story as your typical teenager, and a bit shallow to boot. By the end of this short story, her entire outlook has changed and she's even grown up some. She shows great potential and I'd definitely love to read more about this pair.
Dead Man Stalking by Rachel Caine follows in the third slot of this wonderful anthology. Family relationships are never easy. Just ask Shane Collins, he knows better than the rest of us. So what do you do when your father is anti-vampire and you're dating one? Like I said, it's complicated. This was my first taste of the acclaimed Morganville Vampires series and I liked it a lot. Shane is a very strong character who rises to the occasion and makes the best decision possible, considering the tough situation he's put in. I'm definitely going to have to read more of this series.
Tanith Lee has long been a favorite author of mine, so I was pleased to see her short story, Table Manners, in the fourth slot of this anthology. This was probably one of my favorites in this collection. In this lovely short, Lel is the daughter of an unusual man, one who treats vampires. She knows Anghel for what he is the moment she first spots him and is determined to help at all costs. One of the most unique vampire stories I think I've ever read. The characters are different and the storyline is more than enjoyable.
Riding on the heels of Tanith Lee is Changed by Nancy Holder. Set in a post-apocalyptic New York, two best friends are forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the other. This story shows the true strength of friendship over love and hit me hard. It was very real-to-life in respects to the teens of today's world and the challenges and choices they face. Although probably the most frightening of the stories contained in this collection, it was also one of the most relatable.
Blue Moon by Richelle Mead was one of the most interesting stories in Immortal. Lucy is an ancient prophecy come to life. But not for long as her family is out to kill her before she can set the prophecy into motion and change the state of the world as they know it. After essentially kidnapping an innocent human, Lucy is forced to make some hard decisions and look her future in the face. I loved her character.
originally posted at

wolf_girl16

More than 1 year ago

What can i say more about this book other than it was a joy to read..
I have never taken the time to read any book with multiple stories inside, but this one left me craving more. I have to admitt i have read my fair share of vamp romance novels and short stories but this one exceeded my expectations. Each story was captivating and different. It took me beyond other books, and helped me realize different types of luv. I got this book on a christmas whim, hopeing it would be good. I soon found out it was better, but then that is just me. Check it out for yourself. :)

TiffanyAK on LibraryThing

7 months ago

Some of the short stories in this collection are much better than others, but overall it is a very enjoyable book.First, you have "Haunted Love" by Cynthia Leitich Smith. A combination ghost and vampire story, it's not the best I've ever read, but definitely held my interest and had quite a twist ending. It's an enjoyable short story."Amber Smoke" by Kristin Cast was the one I personally cared for the least in the set. It wasn't a bad story, but wasn't my kind of story. I don't want to spoil it by revealing the new twist on vampires, so I'll just say it's a very different vampire story."Dead Man Stalking" by Rachel Caine was by far my favorite short story in the book. A great introduction to the Morganville Vampires universe for me, since I've never read them, it prompted me to immediately add the books to my wish list. It is very well written and makes for one of the more well-developed and enjoyable short stories I've read."Table Manners" by Tanith Lee is another new twist on the vampire story. It's not great, in my opinion, but isn't bad either. I considered it to be somewhat interesting, but nothing to get excited about."Blue Moon" by Richelle Mead was another very good story that made me interested in the author's other work (the 'Vampire Academy' series). It could easily work as a full-length novel (which I would love), but works well in this short form too. A world run by vampires, a world-changing prophecy, excitement, what else do you need?"Changed" by Nancy Holder is nothing less than an old-fashioned gore fest in print. Lots of blood, bleakness, a love story, all in all it's quite an interesting combination. Think Armageddon via vampires, and you'll have a pretty good idea what this story is."Binge" by Rachel Vincent is one where it takes a while to really find out what's going on. An interesting, if tragic, storyline combined with good writing talent make it worth reading, even if I wouldn't call it a favorite."Free" by Claudia Gray is another favorite from this collection. With a lead character you can easily connect to, a good story, and a real ability to grab and keep your attention, I'll definitely be picking up the 'Evernight' books.

Culisa2188 on LibraryThing

7 months ago

Not worth the purchase. Just take the strol or ride to some local library or borrow this book from some sucker like me who foolishly paid money for this work. Should you get your hands on this book of short stories just read Racheal Cain 'Dead man Stalking' only one worth reading. I would like to read more written in Shane perspective I guestimate this short takes place after Lords of Misrule before Carpe Corpus. I can thank this book for reminding me why I never bought into the House of Night series The authors have a short in this book and its garbage like most of the stories in here. I mean Table Manners was just a waist of trees and printing ink.

pollywannabook on LibraryThing

7 months ago

Courtesy of Allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.comReview:"Haunted Love" by Cynthia Leitich Smith kicks off the anthology with Cody, a new male vampire who re-opens a haunted movie theater in his sleepy Texas town, but he never planned on an All-American human girl maneuvering her way into a job and possibly his heart. I was surprised at how strong Cody¿s voice was almost from page one, especially his accidental transformation into a vampire after ordering a strength potion off the internet. I wish he¿d been given a full length novel to play around in, but even in his 30 or so pages, I cared about him. I cared less about the twist at the end. It was sudden and not at all in keeping with the rest of the story.vSexual Content: NoneReview:"Amber Smoke" by Kristin Cast is probably my least favorite story in this anthology, now granted I¿m only halfway through Immortal, but still. This story is the reason I¿ve mostly avoided reading YA. 18 year old Jenna (who comes across more as a vapid thirteen year old) is a shallow, self-absorbed high school senior when she meets hottie son of The Furies/vampire Alek who helps her transition into her new nonhuman existence. Dripping with pop culture references in an attempt to be `teen friendly,¿ this story is mess of unlikable characters who are nothing like any teenagers I¿ve ever known. I¿ve been looking forward to starting the House of Night series, but if they are anything like this¿ugh. Sexual Content: NoneReview:"Dead Man Stalking" by Rachel Caine revisits characters from her Morganville Vampires series. Shane gets abducted by a zombie controlled by his estranged father seeking to enlist Shane¿s help in eradicating the vampire species. I¿ve enjoyed Rachel¿s Weather Warden series, so I knew she was a good writer, but I only got Glass Houses yesterday, so this was my first visit to Morganville (although I¿m now planning an extended stay), and there were characters with back stories I didn¿t know, but my ignorance didn¿t in any way diminish my enjoyment of this story. If anything it made me want more of this series. Sexual Content: NoneReview:"Table Manners" by Tanith Lee is an odd story written in an odd way. It feels like a regency period story except for the occasional modern reference (cell phone, elevator etc.) A girl meets a Brad Pitt-esque vampire at a ball and tries to help him realize his vampiric weaknesses are all in his mind. The writing was very unique and sentence structure was often haphazardly ordered. I¿m not sure what effect the author was going for, but the story was generic enough that it doesn¿t really matter.Sexual Content: NoneReview:"Blue Moon" by Richelle MeadThis short story takes place in a world where vampires rule and humans live as second-class citizens. Lucy, the daughter of the most powerful vampire in Chicago, suddenly finds herself being hunted by her own kind and must rely on the help of a cute human guy who's spent his whole life hating the vampires who rule his city. ¿RichelleMead.com This is the best story (so far) in Immortal. The new spin on the vampire/human relationship was immediately intriguing and one that I hope Richelle plans to explore in a more books (pretty please). Vampire Lucy is just beginning to see life from the perspective of the humans living in servitude to her kind, while human Nathan has been fighting against a lifetime of hatred for the monsters who destroyed his family. When these two are thrown together, sparks fly in more ways than one. The story is set up in such a way that while the ending isn¿t a complete cliffhanger, it leaves a lot left unresolved. I¿m hoping that is because, like me, Richelle realizes this world is too good to be used only once.Sexual Content: NoneReview: ¿Changed" by Nancy Holder (who I loved from her work on Buffy) pens a pulls no punches diatribe this time out. On just about every single page of this story (sometimes several times per page) the author reminds us that Eli, the unrequited l

Alliebeth927 on LibraryThing

7 months ago

Like any collection of short stories, there were some I loved and some I didn't like at all. Free by Claudia Gray made the whole book worthwhile to me; any fan of her Evernight series should check it out. It deals with how the somewhat minor character of Patrice became a vampire, and honestly I could have read a full length book about it. The entries by Kristen Cast, Rachel Vincent,and Richelle Mead were also among the good stories. I guess it's no coincidence that I enjoy their books as well! The rest were forgettable, if not downright bad, but overall this is a very good collection and worth wading through the so-so stuff to get to the excellent storytelling!

ada-adjoa on LibraryThing

7 months ago

I found some new, excellent authors to read, so I am excited. Lee was so interesting and idiosyncratic. I have never read her, but will be sure to now. Gray and Holder- their stories had real lessons to ruminate on over the next few days. Definitely good for teens to consider. The others are just fluff, but Kristin Casts' story is almost unreadable IMHO. But with the editor being her mother, there was little chance editorial tough love would be provided.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

This was the book that got me into reading. I loved all the different stories and the different variety they were. And books like this are a really great way to find different authors and books personally.

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More than 1 year ago

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BryannaNoel

More than 1 year ago

These were actually some very fun to read short stories by very recognizable authors. I think some of these short stories really ought to develop into books though, as a few were very intriguing to start!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Oh. My. God. Absolutly the best immortal book ever!
I so wish there were way more to the stories. So capturing!